The football players at Wheaton College, located in a Chicago suburb, were charged with aggravated battery, unlawful restraint and mob action, the prosecutor's office told AFP today.
Almost all of the charges are felonies, with the most serious carrying a sentence of two to five years in prison, DuPage County States Attorney spokesman Paul Darrah said.
The accused are currently listed as members of Wheaton's football team -- one of the top US collegiate football programs: James Cooksey, Kyler Kregel, Benjamin Pettway, Noah Spielman and Samuel TeBos.
The victim, unidentified to protect his privacy, told investigators he was held down in a car while his abductors attempted to sodomize him with an object and then beat him, the newspaper reported.
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The student also claimed Middle Eastern music was playing in the car while the abductors made offensive comments about Muslims "who wanted to fornicate with goats," the Tribune said.
The student told the newspaper the incident had had "a devastating effect on my life."
Prosecutors would not confirm details of the case, pending a possible court hearing late Tuesday afternoon. The five students charged were to either appear at the hearing or post a USD 5,000 bond, Darrah said.
Wheaton College and the victim's attorney did not immediately return requests for comment.
The college emphasizes Christian teachings and in its hazing policy says "we want to honor Jesus Christ in our relationships with one another and on our teams."
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